Additional voice information relating to displayed items

ABSTRACT

A portable communication device provides additional information in relation to items presented to a user. A number of items are presented and a help function is provided for the user on the display of the portable communication device. When the user selects the help function for a specific item, a voice connection is automatically established to a help service device in order for the user to receive additional oral information related to the specific item.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of providing help information in relation to items presented in portable communication devices. More particularly the invention relates to a method and device for enabling provision of additional information in relation to items presented to a user, a method and device for presenting additional information in relation to selected items as well as to a system for provision of information in relation to items presented to users of portable communication devices.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

The cellular phones of today have more and more different functions and applications in them as well as menu systems used for navigating through such applications, functions and other data.

A user would in many cases need more information about a function or any other item of information presented to him, since many functions and applications might be hard to understand. Today he can normally find such information by reading of a manual. This is often time consuming and the user might not have one at hand when he needs to find such information, because he might be at one location with his phone, while the manual might be at another location. Such information might also be present on the Internet, but then the user would have to have a computer in order to reach the information needed.

It is also possible to provide such help information in the phone itself, which would be provided to the user upon pressing of suitable keys. Such information would then occupy valuable memory space, which is then blocked from use for better purposes, like for instance to provide more functions and applications in the phone.

There is thus a need for being able to provide additional information in relation to items presented to a user of a cellular phone that is direct, simple and does not occupy any valuable memory space in the phone.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is thus directed towards solving the problem of providing additional information relating to items presented in a portable communication device that is direct, simple and does not occupy any memory space in the device.

This is achieved by setting up a voice connection from the device to an external help service for an item and then providing the additional information related to the item orally from the help service.

One object of the present invention is thus to provide a method enabling the provision of additional information relating to items presented on a portable communication device that is direct, simple and does not occupy any memory space for the additional information in the portable communication device.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, the object is achieved by a method of enabling provision of additional information in relation to items presented to a user of a portable communication device comprising the steps of:

-   -   presenting a number of items to a user,     -   providing a help function related to the items, and     -   automatically establishing a voice connection to an external         help service in dependence of a selection of the help function         for a specific item, such that a user can receive additional         oral information regarding the item from the external help         service.

A second aspect of the present invention is directed to a method including the features of the first aspect, further comprising the step of receiving said oral information via the connection.

A third aspect of the present invention is directed towards a method including the features of the first aspect, wherein the items are presented in the navigation system of and/or for at least one application provided in the portable communication device.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is directed towards a method including the features of the first aspect, wherein each item is provided with a code and further comprising the step of automatically transmitting the code to the external help service in dependence of the selection of the help function in order to allow easier provision of help information regarding the selected item.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is directed towards a method including the features of the fourth aspect, wherein the portable communication device has a language setting used when presenting items and the step of transmitting includes transmitting information concerning the language setting to the external help service in order to enable provision of oral information by the help service in the language of the device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device, which enables the provision of additional information relating to items presented on a portable communication device that is direct, simple and does not occupy any memory space for the additional information in the portable communication device.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, this object is achieved by a portable communication device for enabling provision of additional information in relation to items presented to a user of a portable communication device comprising:

-   -   an information presentation unit for presenting items,     -   at least one user input unit,     -   a radio communication unit for establishing voice connections         with an external help service, and     -   a help function control unit arranged to:         -   provide a help function in relation to the items on the             information presentation unit, and         -   control the radio communication unit, in dependence of the             selection of the help function for a specific item, to             automatically establish a voice connection to the external             help service, such that a user can receive additional oral             information regarding the item from the external help             service.

A seventh aspect of the present invention is directed towards a device including the features of the sixth aspect, wherein the items are presented in the navigation system of and/or for an application provided by the portable communication device.

An eighth aspect of the present invention is directed towards a device including the features of the sixth aspect, further comprising an item code storage comprising a code associated with each item for which help information is present and the help function control unit is further arranged to make the radio communication unit automatically transmit the code to the external help service in dependence of the selection of the help function in order to allow easier provision of help information regarding the selected item.

A ninth aspect of the present invention is directed towards a device including the features of the eighth aspect, wherein the portable communication device has a language setting storage comprising a language setting used when presenting items and the help function control unit is further arranged to make the radio communication unit automatically transmit information concerning the language setting used in the device to the external help service in order to enable provision of oral information by the help service in the language of the device.

A tenth aspect of the present invention is directed towards a device including the features of the sixth aspect, wherein the device is a cellular phone.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method that provides additional information relating to items presented on a portable communication device that is direct, simple and does not occupy any memory space for the additional information in the portable communication device.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, this object is achieved by a method of providing, from a help service, additional information in relation to items presented to a user of a portable communication device comprising the steps of:

-   -   receiving a phone call from the portable communication device,         which has been made automatically in dependence of a selection         of a help function for a specific item, and     -   providing oral information regarding the item to the user of the         portable communication device via the connection.

A twelfth aspect of the present invention is directed towards a method including the features of the eleventh aspect, further comprising the step of receiving a code identifying the item from the portable communication device and fetching oral information regarding the item based on said code.

A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is directed towards a method including the features of the twelfth aspect, further comprising receiving language setting information from the portable communication device and the step of fetching oral information is also based on said language setting information.

A fourteenth aspect of the present invention is directed towards a method including the features of the eleventh aspect, further comprising the step of providing, from the help service, the user of the portable communication device to choose from at least two pieces of oral information in relation to the selected item and providing a piece of oral information in dependence of selection of that piece.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device that provides additional information relating to items presented on a portable communication device that is direct, simple and does not occupy any memory space for the additional information in the portable communication device.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, this object is achieved by a help service device for providing additional information in relation to items presented to a user of a portable communication device comprising:

-   -   a communication unit arranged to receive a phone call from the         portable communication device, which has been made automatically         in dependence of a selection of a help function for a specific         item,     -   a voice message store, and     -   a voice message control unit arranged to retrieve oral         information from the voice message store regarding the item and         control the communication unit to provide said oral information         to the user of the portable communication device via the         connection.

A sixteenth aspect of the present invention is directed towards a device including the features of the fifteenth aspect, wherein the communication unit is arranged to receive a code Identifying the item from the portable communication device and forward said code to the voice message control unit and the voice message control unit is further arranged to fetch oral information regarding the item based on said code.

A seventeenth aspect of the present invention is directed towards a device including the features of the sixteenth aspect, wherein the communication unit is arranged to receive language setting information from the portable communication device and forward said language setting information to the voice message control unit and the voice message control unit is further arranged to fetch oral information also based on said language setting information.

An eighteenth aspect of the present invention is directed towards a device including the features of the fifteenth aspect, wherein the voice message control unit is further arranged to allow the user of the portable communication device to choose from at least two pieces of oral information in relation to the selected item and to provide a piece of oral information in dependence of selection of that piece.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system that provides additional information relating to items presented on a portable communication device that is direct, simple and does not occupy any memory space for the additional information in the portable communication device.

According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, this object is achieved by a system for enabling provision of additional information in relation to items presented to users of portable communication devices comprising:

-   -   at least one portable communication device comprising:         -   an information presentation unit for presenting items,         -   at least one user input unit,         -   a radio communication unit for establishing voice             connections with an external help service, and         -   a help function control unit arranged to:             -   provide a help function in relation to the items on the                 information presentation unit, and             -   control the radio communication unit, in dependence of                 the selection of the help function for a specific item,                 to automatically establish a voice connection to the                 external help service,     -   a help service device comprising:         -   a communication unit arranged to receive a phone call from             the portable communication device, which has been made             automatically in dependence of a selection of a help             function for a specific item,         -   a voice message store, and         -   a voice message control unit arranged to retrieve oral             information from the voice message store regarding the item             and control the communication unit to provide said oral             information to the user of the portable communication device             via the connection.

The invention has the following advantages. Considerable memory space is saved in portable communication device. Because of the speed with which speech connections are set up, the additional information is also obtained quickly and can be obtained virtually everywhere where the portable communication device is located. The information is furthermore easy to obtain, since the user just has to actuate a user input unit. The invention furthermore enables providing the oral information and presenting the item simultaneously, such that the user can easily recognise for which item the additional information is related when he receives it.

It should be emphasized that the term “comprises/comprising” when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described in more detail in relation to the enclosed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a block schematic of a portable communication device connected to a help service device via a network,

FIG. 2 shows a front view of a portable electronic device in the form of a cellular phone 1,

FIG. 3 shows a block schematic of the relevant parts of the invention inside the phone in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 shows a front view of some keys and the display of the phone in FIG. 2, where the display shows a help function in relation to a navigation menu in the phone of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 shows a flow chart of a method of enabling provision of additional information in relation to the items in the navigation menu in FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 shows a flow chart of a method of providing additional information in relation to the navigation menu performed in the help service device of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a block schematic of a system according to the invention including a portable communication device 10 connected to a help service device 16 over a cellular network 14 via a base station 12. The help service device 16 comprises a communication unit 18 arranged to communicate over the network 14 using the communication protocol of that network, a voice message control unit 20 connected to the communication unit 18 and a voice message storage 22 connected to the voice message control unit 22. For simplicity the system will in the following be described in relation to only one portable communication device 10. However, it should be realised that it is applicable to several such devices. The help service device 16 is in the preferred embodiment part of the network and run by the operator of the network. It should however be realised that this device can be provided by another operator or service provider or for instance by the manufacturer of the portable communication device 10. The functioning of the system according to the invention will be described later on.

A portable communication device according to the invention is shown in a front view in FIG. 2. In the preferred embodiment the device is a cellular phone 10 having an antenna which is in-built and hence not shown, an information presentation unit in the form of a display 24 and a keypad 26 including a number of user input units or keys. Apart from making and receiving telephone calls, the keypad 26 is used for entering information such as selection of functions and applications and responding to prompts and the display 24 is used for displaying functions and prompts to a user of the phone. In order to do this, the keypad 26 includes a navigation key 32, which can be used for navigating up and down through a menu system provided in the phone. The phone 10 also includes a first and a second selection key 28 and 30, which provide different functionalities depending on where in the menu system a user of the phone has navigated. In the menu system sets of items are often provided in the form of lists.

FIG. 3 shows a block schematic of the different parts of the phone 10 relevant to the present invention. The display 24 is here shown as a box connected to a help function control unit 34, which is here provided as the menu control unit controlling the display and selection of items in the phone. The first and second selection keys 28 and 30 are also connected to the help function control unit 34 as is the navigation key 32. All these keys and the help function control unit 34 are shown as boxes. The help function control unit 34 is furthermore connected to a radio communication unit 40, to an item code storage 36 and to a language setting storage 38. The radio communication unit 40 is connected to an antenna 42 for communication with the earlier described network via the base station. In this communication the radio communication unit 40 uses the communication protocol associated with the network.

In FIG. 4 a front view of the display 24 is shown, where the display 24 shows a number of items in a list of items. The items shown here are items provided in a menu system and here in the so-called “Organizer” list 44, present in for instance many Sony Ericsson phones. It should be realised that this list is just an example of a list where the invention can be used. The list includes a number of items, of which only six are shown here. It should however be realised that the list can be scrolled and thus more items can be shown. This scrolling is normally done by actuating the navigation key shown in FIG. 2 and 3. Here a first item, “Calendar”, 46 is shown just below the list header 44. Below this item are shown a second item “Notes” 48, a third item 50 “Alarms”, a fourth item 52, “Timer” a fifth item 54, “Stopwatch” and a sixth item 56 “Calculator”. Here one of the items is marked, the sixth item 56, which is indicated by small hatched lines. This marking has been obtained by pressing the navigation key in the upwards or downwards direction. Below the screen are shown the first and second selection keys 28 and 30. The selection keys are content dependent, i.e. they provide different functionalities depending on where in the menu system the user has navigated using the navigation and selection keys. Because of this the current functions of these keys are shown at the bottom of the display 24 just below the sixth item 56 and just above the selection keys 28 and 30. Above the first selection key 28 is shown the text “Select” 58, which indicates that pressing this key either starts an application or function associated with the marked item or that submenus associated with the marked item will be presented to the user, all depending on the where in the menu system the user has navigated. Above the second selection key 30 is shown the text “Info” 60, which means that if a user presses this key, he will get more information about the marked item. The functioning of this second selection key 30 will be described in more detail shortly.

A method of enabling the provision of additional information in relation to an item presented to a user of the phone will now be described in relation to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, where the latter shows a flow chart of the method, which is performed by the phone.

As mentioned earlier a number of items 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 are shown or presented on the display 24 in a list of items in the menu system of the phone 10, step 62. At the same time the presence of a help function is presented to the user via the display 24, step 64. The presence of the help function is presented by the information “Info” 60 related to the second selection key 30. The user can here mark the items by actuating the navigation key 32, which actuation is detected by the help function control unit 34. In case no item is marked, step, 66, the help function control unit 34 goes back and awaits a marking. If an item is marked, step 66, the help function control unit 34 monitors the selection keys 28, 30. If the first selection key 28 is pressed, i.e. if the marked item is selected, step 67, an action related to that item is performed, step 68. This action can be the starting of a function or application, but it can also be a presentation of a further menu or submenu. In case no selection is made, step 67, the help function control unit 34 checks if the help function is selected, step 70, by monitoring the second selection key 30. If the help function is not selected, step 70, the help function control unit 34 goes back and monitors if an item is marked, step 66. If however the help function is selected for the marked item, step 70, the help function control unit 34 orders the radio communication unit 40 to set up a voice connection with the help service device via the cellular network, step 72. The help function control unit 34 also fetches an item code for the marked item from the item code storage 36 and language setting information from the language setting storage 38, step 74. Thereafter the help function control unit 34 sends theses parameters to the help service device over the established voice connection using the radio communication unit 40, step 76. In this way the help service device can now present the user with oral information in relation to the marked item. Thereafter oral information related to the item is received in the phone, step 78. In this way the connection is being made automatically in dependence of if the user selects the help service. The display does furthermore not leave the menu shown, while the oral information is received. This makes it possible for the user to directly relate the oral information to the item he wants information about.

How the help service device provides oral information to the portable communication device will now be explained with reference being made to FIGS. 1 and 6, where the latter shows a flow chart of the method performed by the help service device. The communication unit 18 first receives a call from the phone 10, step 80. The voice message control unit 20 then receives the language setting information and item code from the phone 10 over this established connection via the communication unit 18, step 82. In dependence of this information the voice message control unit 20 fetches the information related to the item in the language of the phone from the voice message storage 22, step 84, and thereafter makes the communication unit 18 transfer the voice message over the connection, step 86. In this way the user gets to hear the information orally and essentially directly, without the information taking up any memory space in the phone. The information can be technical information or other types of information like help on how to use different features of the phone.

The voice message control unit and help function control unit are each normally provided in the form of one or more processors with corresponding program memories containing suitable software code. The different stores are normally provided by suitable memories. Since a menu navigating system is already provided in the portable communication device and the radio communication unit is also already provided in the portable communication device for normal speech connections, the part of the invention provided in the portable communication device is easily provided by just adding some extra software and memory capacity for the item codes, which occupies little space compared to if the additional information were to be included in the phone. Therefore considerable memory space is saved in portable communication device. Because of the speed with which speech connections are set up, the additional information is also obtained quickly and can be obtained virtually everywhere where the portable communication device is located. The information is furthermore easy to obtain, since the user just has to press one key. This solution furthermore enables providing the oral information and presenting the item simultaneously, such that the user can easily recognise for which item the additional information is related when he receives it.

There are a number of possible variations that can be made to the invention. Above was described that the additional information was provided in relation to an item in a list in the menu system. The different items do not have to be provided in a list, but can just as well be provided as a number of Icons on the screen. The help function can furthermore be provided directly for an application, when it has been started and can generally be provided for any information that is provided on the display. The invention is furthermore not limited to the types of keys used. Any key can be used for selecting further information. It is furthermore possible that the help function can be provided as an item in a list, which is selected in normal fashion using for instance the first selection key.

The network is normally a GSM-type of network or a GPRS network. It is of course also possible that the network is WCDMA network. The help service device can be provided in the network, directly connected to the cellular network or be connected to it via some other network. The help service device can furthermore include tone signalling such that when a voice connection is set up, the user gets to choose from a number of different options on what oral information he wants.

The invention was described in relation to a cellular phone. A cellular phone is just one example of a device in which the invention can be implemented. The invention can for instance also be used in a PDA (personal digital assistant), a palm top computer or a lap top computer. Consequently the present invention is only to be limited by the following claims. 

1. A method of providing additional information in relation to items presented to a user of a portable communication device comprising: presenting a number of items to a user, each item being associated with a code, providing a help function related to the items, automatically establishing a voice connection to an external help service, and transmitting the code to the external help service, independent of a selection of the help function for a specific item, such that a user receives additional oral information regarding the item from the external help service.
 2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving the oral information via the connection.
 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the items are presented in the navigation system of and/or for at least one application provided in the portable communication device.
 4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the portable communication device has a language setting used when presenting items and the step of transmitting includes transmitting information concerning the language setting to the external help service, so that oral information is provided by the help service in the language of the device.
 5. A portable communication device for enabling provision of additional information in relation to items presented to a user of the portable communication device comprising: an information presentation unit for presenting items, at least one user input unit, a radio communication unit for establishing voice connections with an external help service, an item code storage comprising a code associated with each item for which help information is present, and a help function control unit arranged to: provide a help function in relation to the items on the information presentation unit, and control the radio communication unit, independent of a selection of the help function for a specific item, to automatically establish a voice connection to the external help service and transmit the code to the external help service, such that a user receives additional oral information regarding the item from the external help service.
 6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the items are presented in the navigation system of and/or for an application provided by the portable communication device.
 7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the portable communication device has a language setting storage comprising a language setting used when presenting items and the help function control unit is further arranged to make the radio communication unit automatically transmit information concerning the language setting used in the device to the external help service in order to enable provision of oral information by the help service in the language of the device.
 8. A device according to claim 5, wherein the device is a cellular phone.
 9. A method of providing, from a help service, additional information in relation to items presented to a user of a portable communication device comprising: receiving, via a voice connection set up from the portable communication device, a code from the portable communication device identifying an item, wherein the voice connection has been set up and the code has been sent automatically independent of a selection of a help function for a specific item in the portable communication device, retrieving oral information regarding the item based on the code, and providing the oral information regarding the item to the user of the portable communication device via the connection.
 10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising receiving language setting information from the portable communication device, and retrieving oral information is also based on the language setting information.
 11. A method according to claim 9, further comprising providing, from the help service, the user of the portable communication device to choose from at least two pieces of oral information in relation to the selected item and providing a piece of oral information.
 12. A help service device for providing additional information in relation to items presented to a user of a portable communication device comprising: a communication unit arranged to receive a code identifying a specific item presented in a portable communication device via a voice connection set up from the portable communication device, where the voice connection has been set up and the code has been sent automatically independent of a selection of a help function for the specific item in the portable communication device, a voice message store, and a voice message control unit arranged to retrieve oral information from the voice message store regarding the item based on the code and control the communication unit to provide the oral information to the user of the portable communication device via the connection.
 13. A device according to claim 12, wherein the communication unit is arranged to receive and forward the code to the voice message control unit.
 14. A device according to claim 12, wherein the communication unit is arranged to receive language setting information from the portable communication device and to forward the language setting information to the voice message control unit and the voice message control unit is further arranged to retrieve oral information also based on the language setting information.
 15. A device according to claim 12, wherein the voice message control unit is further arranged to allow the user of the portable communication device to choose from at least two pieces of oral information in relation to the selected item and to provide a piece of oral information based on a selection of that piece.
 16. A system for enabling provision of additional information in relation to items presented to users of portable communication devices comprising: at least one portable communication device comprising: an information presentation unit for presenting items, at least one user input unit, a radio communication unit for establishing voice connections with an external help service, an item code storage comprising a code associated with each item for which help information is present, and a help function control unit arranged to: provide a help function in relation to the items on the information presentation unit, and control the radio communication unit, independent of a selection of the help function for a specific item, to automatically establish a voice connection to the external help service and transmit the code to the external help service, a help service device comprising: a communication unit arranged to receive the code identifying the specific item presented in the portable communication device via the voice connection set up from the portable communication device, a voice message store, and a voice message control unit arranged to retrieve oral information from the voice message store regarding the item based on the code and control the communication unit to provide the oral information to the user of the portable communication device via the connection. 